Phoenix Karate

presents

Statistics and Choices

February 5, 1997

Phoenix Karate, 13 North Doughty Ave. Somerville, NJ (908) 253-9670

This information is derived from several sources including; the US Department of Justice (BJS)
Report to the Nation on Crime and Justice (second edition) and Criminal Victimization in the U.S.
(1993) from the National Crime Victims Survey, and the National Crime Prevention Council.

Crime Facts:

 Violent crimes are defined as assaults, rapes and robberies.

 Violent crimes in this discussion include attempted and completed crimes as well as reported
and unreported crimes.
 Crime statistics are difficult to interpret and can be misleading.

 Crime statistics don’t change much from year to year.

 The chance that you will be violently victimized in any given year is about 3%.

 The chance of an auto accident is about 1.7%, an accident of any kind - 24%

Where crime strikes:

 Almost twice as many men experience violent crime compared to women.

 People under 34 are four times as likely to be assaulted as their older neighbors.

 The unemployed are twice as likely to be assaulted as the employed.

 Persons earning under $30,000 are assaulted four times as often than their wealthier
neighbors.

 Your chance of victimization is the same wherever you live (city vs. suburb or rural) except
robbery which happens more in the city.

 Single people (divorced, separated, not married) are 4 times more likely to be assaulted than
married folks.

 Almost all rape victims are single (divorced, separated, not married.)
Your true odds:

1. You are a 30 year old white married woman working and living in Bridgewater earning
$36,000/year.

Your chance of being assaulted is between 0.21% and 0.47% with an average chance of 0.35%
or 1:300.

Your chance of being raped is 0.08% or 1:1300

2. You are a 23 year old white college student who does not work.

Your chance of being assaulted is 1.2% or 1:84

Your chance of being raped is 0.26% or 1:380

Who does it:

 Strangers commit less than half of all violent crimes.

 Violent crimes by non-strangers more often involve attack (and injury.)

 Most crimes against women are committed by non-strangers (70%.)

 90% of spousal or ex-spousal violent crimes are committed by men against women.

 ¼ of all victims of spousal crimes had been a victim previously ( at least 3 times in the past 6
months)

What do people do:

26% used physical force to deter their assailant

18% used a verbal response
18% just ran away
14% attracted attention

20% did nothing

Protection was used in 80% of all violent crimes but approximately half of all crimes are
completed. If we assume that “doing nothing” would mostly result in a completed crime, only 38%
of crimes are completed where the victim tried to do something.
This roughly agrees with the 1993 CVUS report which says that 85% of persons taking some
action were successful in protecting themselves (in terms of the completed crime and lessening
injury.)

Running away, talking to the assailant or calling for help are the means of defense used more
often for uncompleted crimes.

This does not mean that these strategies are successful in preventing a completed crime!

Attacking your assailant, resisting, or talking to the offender are used more often in completed
offenses.

This does not mean that these strategies had an effect on whether the crime was
completed or not!

It may mean that the completed crimes were serious enough to warrant more physical
actions.

According to the author of the 1993 CVUS, any resistance will lessen the likelihood of a
completed crime but heighten the chance of injury. Two facts may skew this data. Robberies may
be resisted and that resistance may cause injury to the victim. This is born out in the CVUS
information.
People are also mainly untrained in self defense so their means of protection may be insufficient
to protect them from harm.

Remember that 80% of assailants will use physical force first! (before the victim.)

So, what is the answer?

Nobody knows for sure.

Phoenix Karate recommends a three tier approach:

Awareness

Be aware of where you are and who is around you. Notice whether people are in cars near you,
following you in a vehicle or on foot, whether you have doors locked. Be aware of items that are
important to you based on your personal situation and risks (i.e. if you are separated, there is a
likelihood that your violent ex. May have access to your home. - change the locks!)

Verbal/psychological strategy

Establish 3 second eye contact. Walk and talk in a confident (boardroom) manner. Take charge
of every situation. Establish personal links to unknown assailants (Don’t I know your mother?)
Talk loud.

Other choices depend on circumstance; faint, persuade, or harangue.

Physical Strategy

Use first strike mentality. Push and run. Visualize and practice “no-block” counters.

Just a few words about the use of weapons.

 Knives are more popular than guns.

 You probably will not be shot in a robbery.

 You probably will be shot if the crime scene is secluded or if the assailant tries to remove
you from an area.

 You might be cut (25%) if a knife is used in a crime.

 All the above strategies still hold true for attack with weapons.